Aarp Publications Merit Special Interest

August 25, 1986|By DAVID STEINBERG, Syndicated Columnist

Our friends at the American Association of Retired Persons keep putting out materials that are invaluable to an aging society but cost you nothing more than the price of a stamp. Several recent offerings merit special mention.

One is the report Aging America: Trends and Forecasts, prepared by the Senate Special Committee on Aging, in conjunction with the AARP.

The report catalogs the increase of elders by numbers, geographic distribution, economic status, retirement trends, health, and participation in the work force. Since the steady increase in the number of Americans 65 or older will inevitably create problems, this kind of accessible and accurate information is crucial.

Committee Chairman John Heinz, R-Pa., says Aging America dispels many common myths about what it means to grow old in this country. ``There is no single picture which can be drawn of today`s elderly,`` says Heinz. ``The status of the elderly is more varied than any other age group.``

Osteoporosis, the disease that causes thinning of the bones and often results in debilitating fractures, costs us about $6 billion in health care expenditures, AARP reports. It afflicts some 15 to 20 million older Americans, mostly women over 45.

The poster developed by AARP describes potential victims, diagnosis procedures and the pros and cons of different treatments. Lack of calcium, we know, plays a big role in development of the disease. The brochure accompanying the poster lists foods high in calcium and offers recipes using calcium products.

CONSUMER LETTER VALUABLE

A third publication you should get is the quarterly newsletter, Senior Consumer Alert, published by AARP and the Committee on Elderly and the Law of the National Association of Attorneys General.

It`s designed to alert enforcement officials and those who handle consumer fraud complaints to frauds that victimize older Americans. The first issue covers ``boiler room`` scams that promise a no-risk investment with high yields if the prospect sends his money immediately. The investor loses all his money and the boiler room moves to another city.

Future issues of Senior Consumer Alert will be based on suggestions AARP receives from complaint handlers.

Write to AARP Fulfillment, also, for your free copy of the 20-page booklet, Choosing an HMO.

Changes in Medicare regulations have encouraged more and more older Americans to join HMOs (health maintenance organizations) to meet their health care needs. Joining one may be a wise decision, but which one? The booklet tells you how to collect information about HMOs and how to determine whether an HMO meets your special needs.